CN115095917B

CN115095917B - air conditioner

Info

Publication number: CN115095917B
Application number: CN202210690064.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 梅泽光; 田中幸范; 上田贵郎; 高畑茂
Original assignee: Hitachi Johnson Controls Air Conditioning Inc
Current assignee: Hitachi Johnson Controls Air Conditioning Inc
Priority date: 2017-04-28
Filing date: 2017-09-29
Publication date: 2023-10-13
Anticipated expiration: 2037-09-29
Also published as: ES2698267B2; CN115095917A; ES2698267A1; TWI651495B; FR3065789A1; JP6296633B1; FR3065789B1; JP2018189256A; WO2018198396A1; TW201839329A; MY169892A; CN109154446A

Abstract

The application can properly limit the cleaning operation of the heat exchanger of the cleaning air conditioner. Accordingly, the air conditioner includes: a refrigeration cycle having a heat exchanger that cools or heats air; and a control device (130) that controls the refrigeration cycle so that a heating operation, a cooling operation, a dehumidifying operation, and the like can be performed, and a cleaning operation that cleans the surface of the heat exchanger is performed. The control device (130) has a restriction control unit (138) that restricts execution of the washing operation when a predetermined condition is generated.

Description

Air conditioner

The application is a divisional application of a patent application with the application number of 201780003802.X and the name of air conditioner, which is submitted on the 29 th 9 th 2017.

Technical Field

The present application relates to an air conditioner.

Background

In paragraph 0019 of the specification of patent document 1 below, the following is described: the control device 11 includes means for performing a heat exchanger cleaning operation mode in which water is attached to the surfaces of the fins 4b of the indoor heat exchanger 4 after the heating operation to remove oil or the like from the surfaces of the fins 4b in the heating operation mode.

Prior art literature

Patent literature

Patent document 1: japanese patent No. 4931566

Disclosure of Invention

However, patent document 1 does not specifically describe the point that the heat exchanger cleaning operation mode is appropriately limited.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an air conditioner capable of appropriately restricting a cleaning operation for cleaning a heat exchanger.

In order to solve the above problems, an air conditioner according to the present invention includes: a refrigeration cycle having a heat exchanger that cools or heats air; and a control device that controls the refrigeration cycle so as to perform the washing operation for washing the surface of the heat exchanger when a user performs a predetermined operation that instructs a manual washing operation, the control device having a restriction control portion that restricts the execution of the washing operation when a predetermined condition is generated.

According to the present invention, the cleaning operation for cleaning the heat exchanger can be appropriately limited.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side sectional view of a main portion of the indoor unit.

Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a control device applied to an air conditioner.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart (1/2) of a timer interrupt routine.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart (2/2) of a timer interrupt routine.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart of a manual purge operation routine.

Detailed Description

[ Structure of embodiment ]

Integral structure of air conditioner

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of an air conditioner S according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In fig. 1, an air conditioner S has: indoor unit 100, outdoor unit 200, and remote controller Re. The indoor unit 100 and the outdoor unit 200 are connected by a refrigerant pipe (not shown), and an indoor space (hereinafter referred to as an air conditioning chamber) in which the indoor unit 100 is installed is air-conditioned by a well-known refrigeration cycle. The indoor unit 100 and the outdoor unit 200 transmit and receive information to and from each other via a communication cable (not shown). The outdoor unit 200 is further provided with an outside air temperature detection unit 163 for detecting the outside air temperature.

The remote controller Re is operated by a user, and transmits an infrared signal to the remote controller transceiver Q of the indoor unit 100. The content of the signal is an instruction such as an operation request, a change in the set temperature, a setting of a timer value, a change in the operation mode, or a stop request. The air conditioner S performs air conditioning operation such as heating operation, cooling operation, dehumidifying operation, and washing operation based on these signals. The remote controller transceiver Q of the indoor unit 100 transmits information such as room temperature information, humidity information, and electricity charge information to the remote controller Re, and notifies the user of the information.

Fig. 2 is a side sectional view of the indoor unit 100 at the position of the image pickup section 110.

The housing base 101 houses internal structures such as a heat exchanger 102, a blower fan 103, and a filter 108. The heat exchanger 102 has a plurality of heat transfer tubes 102a. The heat transfer pipe 102a is configured to heat or cool air sucked into the indoor unit 100 by the blower fan 103 by exchanging heat between the air and the refrigerant flowing through the heat transfer pipe 102a. The heat transfer pipe 102a communicates with the refrigerant pipe (not shown) and forms a part of a well-known refrigeration cycle (not shown).

By the rotation of the blower fan 103 shown in fig. 2, the air in the air-conditioned room is sucked through the air suction port 107 and the filter 108, and the air heat-exchanged by the heat exchanger 102 is guided to the blow-out air passage 109a. The air guided to the blowout air passage 109a is adjusted in direction by the horizontal louver 104 and the vertical louver 105, and blown from the air outlet 109b to air-condition the inside of the air-conditioning chamber.

The horizontal louver 104 is rotated by a motor (not shown) for the horizontal louver with a rotation shaft (not shown) provided at a lower portion as a fulcrum in accordance with an instruction from a control device 130 (fig. 3) described later. The up-down wind direction plate 105 is rotated by a motor (not shown) for the up-down wind direction plate with rotation shafts (not shown) provided at both end portions as fulcrums in accordance with instructions from a control device 130 (fig. 3) to be described later. This makes it possible to supply air-conditioning air to a desired position in the air-conditioning room.

An imaging unit 110 and a visible light cut filter unit 117 are provided at a lower portion of a front panel 106 provided so as to cover a front surface of the indoor unit 100. The photographing section 110 applies a general camera. Such a camera has sensitivity around a visible light band in order to reproduce colors seen by the naked eye, but also has sensitivity to some extent in an ultraviolet band and a near infrared band. The visible light cut filter section 117 has an optical filter for attenuating light in the visible light band, and particularly for passing the near infrared light band.

The imaging unit 110 can acquire image data of the heat exchanger 102 by changing the direction of the optical axis. The filter driving section 116 inserts the visible light cut filter section 117 into the optical axis of the photographing section 110 as needed. The installation positions of the imaging unit 110, the visible light cut filter unit 117, and the like can be changed according to the purpose of the acquired image, and are not limited to the positions of fig. 1.

When the visible light cut filter 117 is placed in the optical axis of the imaging unit 110 and the inside of the air chamber is imaged, near infrared line images, which are luminance data of near infrared rays, can be obtained. If the visible light in the air-conditioning chamber is simply captured, for example, a white portion may be erroneously detected as actually "shiny". In contrast, in the near infrared image, the influence of the color and pattern of each part in the air conditioning chamber can be removed. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the filter driving section 116 inserts the visible light cut filter section 117 into the optical axis of the photographing section 110 as needed.

In addition, when the sunlight in the air-conditioning chamber is significantly strong, the visible light cut filter 117 may be removed from the optical axis of the imaging unit 110. The specification of the optical filter may be changed, and the visible light cut filter 117 may transmit ultraviolet rays. The infrared projector 115 is, for example, a near infrared diode, and irradiates infrared rays into the air conditioning room. The reason for this is that the human body is accurately detected using a luminance difference image between before and after the irradiation of the infrared rays.

The photographing part 110 is provided to be directed downward at only a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal direction from the installation position of the photographing part 110, so that the air conditioning room can be photographed appropriately. In addition, the imaging unit 110 can detect a wide range of human bodies in the air-conditioning room by swinging the optical axis from side to side. However, the mounting position or angle of the detailed imaging unit 110 may be set according to the specification or application of the air conditioner S, and is not limited to this configuration. The configuration of the air conditioner S shown in fig. 1 and 2 is basically an example of the present embodiment, and needless to say, the present invention is not limited to the present embodiment and is applied thereto.

Structure of control device

Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a control device 130 applied to the air conditioner S of the present embodiment.

In fig. 3, the control device 130 includes: a camera microcomputer 130A, a main microcomputer 130B, a load driving section 150, and an environment detecting section 160.

The imaging unit 110 includes: an optical lens 111 that adjusts a photographing range and a focus; a photographing element 112 that converts the indoor light incident from the optical lens 111 into an electrical signal; an a/D converter 113 that digitizes and converts a signal of the photographing element 112 into image data; and a digital signal processing section 114 that corrects the brightness and tone of the image data.

Here, it is preferable to apply appropriate photographing parameters (general correction such as shutter speed, white balance, contrast, noise removal, etc.) according to specifications of the applied product at the time of photographing. The visible light cut filter section 117 (see fig. 2) described above may be applied according to the sensitivity of the imaging section 110, thereby acquiring preferable image data in human body detection.

The environment detection unit 160 further includes: a room temperature detecting unit 161, an illuminance detecting unit 162, an outside air temperature detecting unit 163 that detects the outdoor temperature, and a heat exchanger temperature detecting unit 164 that detects the temperature of the heat exchanger 102 (see fig. 2). Here, the room temperature detecting unit 161 is preferably configured to detect the temperature in the air conditioning room, and is preferably configured to be able to detect the room temperature in the same range as the imaging range of the imaging unit 110 by using a far infrared sensor such as a thermopile. The illuminance detection unit 162 has an illuminance sensor that detects illuminance in the air conditioning room. The illuminance detection unit 162 may measure illuminance and the amount of sunlight to be emitted into the air conditioning room. Instead of the illuminance detection unit 162, the illuminance may be measured based on the imaging result of the imaging unit 110.

As shown in fig. 1, the outside air temperature detection unit 163 detects the temperature outside the air conditioner, which is the location where the outdoor unit 200 is provided. The outside air temperature detection unit 163 includes a semiconductor temperature sensor such as a thermistor. The heat exchanger temperature detecting unit 164 includes a semiconductor temperature sensor such as a thermistor. As shown in fig. 2, the heat exchanger temperature detecting unit 164 is attached to and fixed to the upper end portion of the heat exchanger 102, and detects the surface temperature of the heat exchanger 102. The environment detection unit 160 may be provided with various sensors such as an activity amount detection sensor using a fresnel lens and an infrared sensor, and a humidity sensor, in addition to the above-described sensors, as necessary.

The camera microcomputer 130A includes a storage unit 140A, and the main microcomputer 130B includes a storage unit 140B. The storage units 140A and 140B include RAM (Random Access Memory, no reference numeral) and ROM (Read Only Memory, no reference numeral), respectively. The camera microcomputer 130A and the main microcomputer 130B include hardware such as CPU (Central Processing Unit), not shown, as a general computer, and the ROM stores a control program to be executed by the CPU, various data, and the like. Inside the camera microcomputer 130A and the main microcomputer 130B, functional blocks other than the storage sections 140A, 140B represent functions that can be realized by a control program or the like.

That is, the camera microcomputer 130A has an image detection section 139. The image detection unit 139 includes: a human body detecting part 131 and a dirt detecting part 132. In addition, the main microcomputer 130B has: the arithmetic processing unit 141, the automatic operation unit 135, the drive control unit 136, the time measurement unit 137, and the limitation control unit 138.

The control device 130 may designate any one of a heating operation, a cooling operation, a dehumidifying operation, and a washing operation, and operate a refrigeration cycle (not shown) of the air conditioner S. Among them, the heating operation, the cooling operation, and the dehumidifying operation are the same as those of a well-known air conditioner. The cleaning operation is an operation of condensing dew on the surface of the heat exchanger 102 and cleaning the surface of the heat exchanger 102 with water condensed. In the cleaning operation, the control device 130 sets the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the heat exchanger 102 to be equal to or lower than the dew point temperature. The evaporation temperature of the refrigerant in the cleaning operation is set to be lower than the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant in the dehumidifying operation (preferably, below freezing).

Here, the cleaning operation includes an operation mode of "strong cleaning mode" and "weak cleaning mode". The weak purge mode is an operation mode in which the temperature of the heat exchanger 102 is set higher than that in the strong purge mode, and energy consumption is suppressed. In the strong cleaning mode, the control device 130 cools the surface of the heat exchanger 102 to less than 0 ℃. Thereby, the surface of the heat exchanger 102 is frosted. Thereafter, the control device 130 heats the heat exchanger 102 to melt the frost, and washes the surface of the heat exchanger 102 with the generated water. On the other hand, in the weak cleaning mode, the surface of the heat exchanger 102 may be at 0 ℃.

The main microcomputer 130B receives an operation instruction from the user via the remote controller transmitting/receiving unit Q, and controls each unit via the load driving unit 150 based on various environmental information supplied from the environment detecting unit 160 and an operation instruction from the remote controller transmitting/receiving unit Q. The load driving unit 150 drives a refrigeration cycle (not shown), a fan motor (not shown) for the blower fan 103, a fan motor (not shown) for the horizontal louver 104, a fan motor (not shown) for the vertical louver 105, a motor (not shown) for the outdoor unit 200, and the like based on instructions from the main microcomputer 130B.

The camera microcomputer 130A and the main microcomputer 130B mutually input and output various operation instructions. In particular, the camera microcomputer 130A supplies the detection result of the image detection section 139 or the like to the main microcomputer 130B, and the main microcomputer 130B outputs a shooting request signal to the camera microcomputer 130A. The image data in the room acquired by the imaging unit 110 is supplied to the image detection unit 139, and various image processing is performed in the image detection unit 139. First, the fouling detection section 132 detects fouling adhering to the surface of the heat exchanger 102. Here, "dirt" includes both an oil film attached to the surface of the heat exchanger 102 and dust floating from the surface of the heat exchanger 102.

The human body detection unit 131 detects the number of persons in the room, the positions of the parts of the persons in the room such as the head, chest, arms, and feet, and the movements of the parts based on the image data supplied from the imaging unit 110. The human body detecting unit 131 and the dirt detecting unit 132 may detect the parts and dirt of the human body based on the image data of the same specification supplied from the imaging unit 110. Further, the digital signal processing unit 114 of the imaging unit 110 may set imaging parameters suitable for the human body detecting unit 131 and the dirt detecting unit 132, respectively. In this case, the human body detecting unit 1317 and the dirt detecting unit 132 can detect dirt in the human body or in the heat exchanger 102 based on the results obtained by performing different signal processing.

The detection results of the human body detection unit 131 and the dirt detection unit 132 are supplied to the arithmetic processing unit 141 of the main microcomputer 130B. The arithmetic processing unit 141 performs overall control of the control device 130, sets the operation of each unit in the control device 130 for air conditioning operation (heating operation, cooling operation, dehumidifying operation, or cleaning operation), controls the drive control unit 136, and the like, and executes air conditioning operation. The imaging unit 110 described above images the indoor space and the heat exchanger 102 based on the imaging request signal from the arithmetic processing unit 141.

However, the detection result obtained by the image processing of the image detection unit 139 may be only information such as the position or activity of the person in the room, or information such as distance information, and may not include image data that can be visually captured as a video by the person. This reduces the amount of data held in the storage means 140A, 140B and prevents the image data from being taken out of the control device 130, thereby realizing privacy protection for the person in the air-conditioning room.

The automatic operation unit 135 included in the main microcomputer 130B mainly performs a "sleep function". This is a particularly preferred function for nights where it is difficult to fall asleep. That is, the sleep function means the following functions: when the air conditioner S is always turned off and the room temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, for example, the weak cooling operation is automatically performed. The drive control unit 136 controls the load driving unit 150 and the like based on instructions from the arithmetic processing unit 141 and the like.

The time measurement unit 137 measures various time information such as the operation start time, the operation duration, and the operation stop time of the air conditioner S. The restriction control unit 138 restricts the cleaning operation performed by the arithmetic processing unit 141 as necessary. Details and operations thereof will be described later.

The control device 130 further includes: a camera substrate 122 and a control substrate 124. The main microcomputer 130B is actually mounted on the control board 124, and the camera microcomputer 130A and the imaging unit 110 are actually mounted on the camera board 122. The imaging unit 110 and the camera microcomputer 130A actually mounted on the camera substrate 122 tend to operate at high speed for performing various image processing and for performing many data processing. Therefore, the camera substrate 122 is preferably a multilayer substrate that is relatively expensive but suitable for high-speed operation. On the other hand, since the main microcomputer 130B does not require a high-speed operation, the control board 124 can be applied to a low-cost board.

In the present embodiment, since the control device 130 has the camera substrate 122 and the control substrate 124, communication between the two will occur. However, the communication content between the two is, for example, the detection results of the human body detection unit 131 and the dirt detection unit 132, various operation instructions, or the like, and therefore, the communication volume can be made relatively small. Thus, serial communication with a smaller number of connection lines is preferably used for communication between the two. In this way, the control device 130 can be configured at low cost by dividing the circuit board provided in the control device 130 into two pieces of the camera board 122 and the control board 124.

Operation of the embodiment

Automatic cleaning operation

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.

The "cleaning operation" includes, for example, an "automatic cleaning operation" that is automatically performed at predetermined time intervals, and a "manual cleaning operation" that is started by a user manually operating the remote controller Re (operation unit). In addition, the user can specify in advance whether or not to permit the automatic cleaning operation. Further, in the case where the user permits the automatic cleaning operation, it is also possible to specify whether or not the execution of the automatic cleaning operation is permitted when the person is in the room. The reason for this is that, when the washing operation is performed, the room temperature and humidity are slightly lowered, and thus there is also a user who feels uncomfortable to automatically perform the washing operation.

Fig. 4 and 5 are flowcharts of a timer interrupt routine to be executed in the control device 130, which is started with a predetermined timer interrupt period (for example, several seconds or minutes). The routine is mainly applied to the automatic cleaning operation.

In fig. 4, when the process advances to step S2, the restriction control unit 138 determines whether or not the start of the automatic cleaning operation is permitted. Here, if the determination is no, the restriction control unit 138 prohibits the automatic cleaning operation at that time. The operation in this case will be described later. On the other hand, if the determination in step S2 is yes, the process proceeds to step S4, and the restriction control unit 138 determines whether or not the operation time after the completion of the previous cleaning operation (either automatic or manual) is equal to or longer than the predetermined operation interval D1 (1 st operation time). The operation interval D1 is an interval at which the automatic cleaning operation can be performed, and may be, for example, a value of about 10 hours to 1000 hours.

If the determination is no, the restriction control unit 138 prohibits the automatic cleaning operation at that time. On the other hand, if the determination is yes, the process proceeds to step S6, and the restriction control unit 138 determines whether or not at least one of the conditions of "automatic cleaning operation when the person is permitted to be in the room" and "the person is not in the air-conditioning room" is satisfied. In other words, when the automatic cleaning operation is prohibited when a person is in the room and a person is present in the air-conditioning room, the restriction control unit 138 determines no, and prohibits the automatic cleaning operation at that time.

On the other hand, if yes is determined in step S6, the process proceeds to step S8, and based on the detection result of the illuminance detection unit 162, the restriction control unit 138 determines whether or not the illuminance in the air-conditioning chamber is equal to or higher than the predetermined value. If the determination is no, the restriction control unit 138 prohibits the automatic cleaning operation at that time. The reason for this is that if the illuminance is less than a predetermined value, the possibility that the person is in bedtime is high.

On the other hand, if yes is determined in step S10, the process proceeds to step S10, and the restriction control unit 138 determines whether or not the "sleep function" is in the off state.

If the sleep function is in the connected state, it is determined as no in step S10, and the process advances to step S12. In step S12, the restriction control unit 138 determines whether or not the predetermined operation interval D2 (3 rd operation time) has elapsed after the previous washing operation is completed. Here, the operation interval D2 is longer than the operation interval D1 described above, and may be set to, for example, twice as long as the operation interval D1. If the determination is no, the restriction control unit 138 prohibits the automatic cleaning operation at that time. On the other hand, if it is determined to be yes in either step S10 or S12, the process proceeds to step S14.

The meaning of steps S10 and S12 will be described herein. First, if the sleep function is in the connected state, since there is a high possibility that the bedroom user is sleeping, it is preferable that the restriction control unit 138 prohibits the automatic cleaning operation in principle when the determination in step S10 is no. However, there are also users who use the sleeping bag continuously without interrupting the sleeping function even after getting up or during sleeping. In this case, if the automatic cleaning operation is immediately prohibited because the sleep function is in the on state, the automatic cleaning operation is not executed regardless of the time. Therefore, in step S12, the restriction control unit 138 determines whether or not the operation interval D2 longer than the normal operation interval D1 has elapsed since the previous washing operation. That is, if the determination is yes in step S12, the automatic cleaning operation is executed if the other conditions are sufficient.

The human body detection unit 131 (see fig. 3) in the camera microcomputer 130A detects the position, posture, movement, etc. of the person in the room when the person in the room turns over, and notifies the main microcomputer 130B of the detected situation. In fig. 4, when the process advances to step S14, the restriction control unit 138 determines whether or not a turn-over has not been detected within a predetermined time period. When the turning-over is detected, the restriction control unit 138 determines no, and prohibits the automatic cleaning operation at that time. The reason for this is that, in the case where a turn-over is detected, the possibility that the person is in bed is high. On the other hand, if yes is determined in step S14, the process proceeds to step S16.

In step S16, the restriction control unit 138 determines whether or not the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detection unit 163 (see fig. 3) is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature T1 (1 st predetermined temperature). Here, the temperature T1 may be set to 0 ℃, for example. This is because, when the outside air temperature is below the freezing point, that is, when the outside air temperature does not reach 0 ℃, a drain pipe (not shown) that discharges the condensed water to the outside may freeze and clog the drain pipe. However, the user can set a desired value of 0 ℃ or higher to the temperature T1. The reason for this is that there are also users who want to "avoid further cooling in the room in cold periods (e.g. when not reaching 5 ℃). If the determination is no in step S16, the restriction control unit 138 prohibits the automatic cleaning operation at that time. On the other hand, if yes is determined in step S16, the process proceeds to step S18.

In step S18, the restriction control unit 138 determines whether or not the heat exchanger temperature detected by the heat exchanger temperature detection unit 164 (see fig. 3) is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature T2 (2 nd predetermined temperature, 3 rd predetermined temperature). Here, the temperature T2 is "a temperature at which the refrigeration cycle and the heat exchanger 102 can be stably operated for cleaning" as long as it is equal to or higher than this temperature. The predetermined temperature T2 varies depending on the refrigeration cycle and the structure of the heat exchanger 102, but may be set to-30 ℃. If the determination is no in step S18, the restriction control unit 138 prohibits the automatic cleaning operation at that time. On the other hand, if yes is determined in step S18, the process proceeds to step S20 (see fig. 5).

In step S20, the restriction control unit 138 stops the cooling operation, the heating operation, the dehumidifying operation, or the washing operation of the air conditioner S, and determines whether or not a predetermined time D3 has elapsed from the stop. The reason for this is that if a sufficient time (predetermined time D3) has not elapsed since the operation was stopped, there is a case where a failure occurs in the cleaning operation due to the influence of the previous operation. If the determination is no here, the process advances to step S22, where the restriction control unit 138 determines whether or not the predetermined start condition is sufficient. This is because the cleaning operation may be started even if the predetermined time D3 has not elapsed since the operation was stopped.

Here, the "start condition" is, for example, "a case where the heat exchanger temperature is equal to or higher than the dew point temperature T3 after the cooling operation". Such a situation occurs, for example, immediately after the weak cooling operation at a set temperature of about 28 ℃. If the determination is no in step S22, the restriction control unit 138 prohibits the automatic cleaning operation at that time. On the other hand, if it is determined to be yes in any one of steps S20 and S22, the process proceeds to step S24.

In step S24, the arithmetic processing unit 141 determines whether the "Jiang Qing wash start condition" is sufficient. Here, the strong cleaning start condition is a condition for starting the cleaning operation in the strong cleaning mode. As described above, the washing operation includes the strong washing mode and the weak washing mode, and the energy consumption in the strong washing mode is larger than that in the weak washing mode. Therefore, in the present embodiment, by alternately selecting the strong cleaning mode and the weak cleaning mode, the electric power consumption is suppressed. Specifically, the conditions such as "the operation mode of the previous washing operation is the weak washing mode", "the washing operation in the strong washing mode is not performed for the operation time D4 (2 nd operation time) or longer" may be used as the "strong washing start condition". This is because if the operation time has not elapsed much from the cleaning operation in the strong cleaning mode, it is considered that the fouling adhering to the heat exchanger 102 is small.

If yes is determined in step S24, the process proceeds to step S32, and the arithmetic processing unit 141 starts the cleaning operation in the strong cleaning mode. On the other hand, if the determination is no in step S24, the process proceeds to step S34, and the arithmetic processing unit 141 starts the cleaning operation in the weak cleaning mode. Next, when the process advances to step S36, the arithmetic processing unit 141 determines whether or not the cleaning operation is completed. If the determination is no here, the process advances to step S40. Here, as in step S18 described above, the restriction control unit 138 determines whether or not the heat exchanger temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature T2 (for example, -30 ℃). If the determination is no here, the process returns to step S36.

The loop of steps S36 and S40 will be repeated later as long as the heat exchanger temperature is above the predetermined temperature T2. While this cycle is repeated, the arithmetic processing unit 141 continues the cleaning operation. For example, when the strong cleaning mode is selected, the arithmetic processing unit 141 cools the surface of the heat exchanger 102 to a temperature lower than 0 ℃, and causes the surface of the heat exchanger 102 to be frosted by continuing this state for a predetermined time. Thereafter, the frost is heated by the heat exchanger 102 to be in a state of being higher than a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time. Thereby, the frost is melted, and the surface of the heat exchanger 102 is washed with the generated water.

When this series of processes is completed, the process proceeds to step S38 when it is determined as yes in the next process to step S36. In step S38, the arithmetic processing unit 141 resets a timer, such as an automatic cleaning timer (not shown), provided in the time measuring unit 137 (see fig. 3) to zero, and the process of the present routine ends. Here, the automatic cleaning timer is a timer that counts the time when the air conditioner S performs the cooling operation, the heating operation, or the dehumidifying operation. Previously, although the "operation time" of the air conditioner S was described in the description of steps S4 and S12, the "operation time" means the "count result of the automatic cleaning timer".

In the present embodiment, the terms "complete" and "stop" are used for the cleaning operation. Here, "stop" means stopping the cleaning operation for any reason. On the other hand, "complete" means a series of processes in which the cleaning operation is completely performed, with the result that the cleaning operation is stopped. Thus, "complete" is included in the concept of "stop". When the cleaning operation is "completed", the arithmetic processing unit 141 can distinguish the zero-reset of the automatic cleaning timer in step S38 from the "stop" caused by an abnormality or the like.

When the above-described loop of steps S36 and S40 is repeated and the heat exchanger temperature does not reach the predetermined temperature T2 (for example, -30 ℃), the process proceeds to step S42 if it is determined to be "no" in step S40. Here, the restriction control unit 138 "stops" the washing operation, and the process of the present routine ends. In the case where the washing operation is stopped due to this step S42, the automatic washing timer described above is not reset by zero. Therefore, when the timer interrupt routine (fig. 4 and 5) is restarted at the next timer interrupt time (for example, after several seconds or minutes), it is determined in step S4 that the timer interrupt routine is "yes" (the operation interval D1 has elapsed since the previous washing operation).

Then, when the process advances to step S18, if the heat exchanger temperature is returned to the predetermined temperature T2 or higher, it is determined as yes. When the predetermined time D3 has elapsed from the previous time point at which the cleaning operation was stopped (i.e., the time point at which step S42 was executed), the arithmetic processing unit 141 restarts the cleaning operation by the processing at step S24 and thereafter.

As described above, if it is determined as no in any of steps S2 to S8, S12 to S18, and S22, the restriction control unit 138 prohibits the automatic cleaning operation at that time. In this case, the process advances to step S26 in fig. 5, and the arithmetic processing unit 141 determines whether or not the "dirt measurement condition" is sufficient. That is, in the present embodiment, the arithmetic processing unit 141 outputs a command to the microcomputer 130A at predetermined operation time intervals so as to detect fouling of the heat exchanger 102. Therefore, when a predetermined operation time elapses from the time when the previous command is output, the "dirt measurement condition" is sufficient.

If the determination is yes in step S26, the arithmetic processing unit 141 performs the dirt measurement. That is, the arithmetic processing unit 141 outputs an operation instruction to the camera microcomputer 130A that dirt measurement should be performed. Based on the operation command, the camera microcomputer 130A causes the imaging unit 110 to image the heat exchanger 102 and acquire image data thereof. The fouling detection unit 132 detects fouling of the heat exchanger 102 based on the image data.

Next, when the process advances to step S30, the arithmetic processing unit 141 updates the operation intervals D1 and D2 based on the detection result of the fouling condition of the heat exchanger 102. That is, the greater the fouling problem, the shorter the operating intervals D1, D2, so that the heat exchanger 102 will be cleaned frequently. Thus, the process of the present routine ends.

As described above, in step S6, if the automatic cleaning operation of the person in the room is prohibited, the automatic cleaning operation at that time is prohibited if the person in the room is detected. However, if the person leaves the room until the next timer is interrupted, the automatic cleaning operation can be performed. Here, since the timer interrupt routine (fig. 4 and 5) is started with a relatively short timer interrupt period (for example, several seconds or several minutes), the operation of the present embodiment can be considered as: "after the automatic cleaning operation is restricted due to the human body being detected by the human body detecting portion 131, if the human body detecting portion 131 does not detect the human body, the automatic cleaning operation is performed.

Similarly, in step S8, if the illuminance in the air-conditioning room does not reach the predetermined value, the automatic cleaning operation at that time is prohibited. However, if the illuminance becomes equal to or higher than the predetermined value until the next timer interrupt, the automatic cleaning operation can be performed. Thus, the operation of the present embodiment can be considered as: "after the automatic cleaning operation is restricted because the illuminance detected by the illuminance detection unit 162 is less than the predetermined value, if the illuminance becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the automatic cleaning operation is performed.

Manual cleaning operation

Fig. 6 is a flowchart of a manual cleansing operation routine executed in the control device 130. The present routine is started when the user performs a predetermined operation on the remote controller Re that instructs the manual cleaning operation.

In fig. 6, when the process advances to step S60, the restriction control unit 138 determines whether or not the outside air temperature is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature T1, as in step S16 (see fig. 4). If the determination is yes here, the process advances to step S62.

In step S62, the restriction control unit 138 determines whether or not the heat exchanger temperature is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature T2, as in step S18 (see fig. 4). If the determination is yes here, the process advances to step S64.

On the other hand, if the determination is no in step S60 or S62, the restriction control unit 138 prohibits the automatic cleaning operation at that time, and the routine ends.

In step S64, the restriction control unit 138 stops the cooling operation, the heating operation, the dehumidifying operation, or the washing operation of the air conditioner S, and determines whether or not the predetermined time D3 has elapsed from the stop, as in step S2016 (see fig. 5) described above. If the determination is no here, the process proceeds to step S66, and the restriction control unit 138 determines whether or not the predetermined start condition is sufficient, as in step S22 (see fig. 5). However, in the present routine, when it is determined as no in step S66, the process returns to step S64. Thereafter, the loop of steps S64 and S66 is repeated, but if the predetermined time D3 has not elapsed, the determination of yes is made in step S64 at that point in time.

If yes is determined in step S64 or S66, the process advances to step S68. The processing in steps S68 to S72 and S76 to S82 is the same as the processing in steps S24, S32, S34 and S36 to S42 of the timer interrupt routine (see fig. 5) described above. That is, the cleaning operation is started in the strong cleaning mode (S70) or the weak cleaning mode (S72) based on whether the strong cleaning start condition is sufficient (S68). After that, when the cleaning operation is completed normally (yes in S76), the automatic cleaning timer is reset to zero (S78), and the process of the present routine ends. On the other hand, if the heat exchanger temperature does not reach the predetermined temperature T2 (no in S80), the washing operation is stopped at that point (S82).

Effect of the embodiment

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the control device (130) has the restriction control unit (138) that restricts the execution of the washing operation when the predetermined condition is generated, and therefore, the washing operation for washing the heat exchanger can be appropriately restricted.

After the past washing operation is performed, the restriction control unit (138) restricts the washing operation (manual washing operation is permitted, automatic washing operation is prohibited) until the operation time of the refrigeration cycle reaches a predetermined 1 st operation time (D1). This makes it possible to appropriately control the interval of the cleaning operation.

The control device (130) further includes a human body detection unit (131) that detects a human body in the subject room or a movement of a human body in the subject room, and when the human body detection unit (131) detects a predetermined movement of the human body or the human body, the restriction control unit (138) restricts the cleaning operation (allows the manual cleaning operation, prohibits the automatic cleaning operation). This can appropriately restrict the operation when a person is present in the air conditioning room.

The control device (130) further includes an illuminance detection unit (162) for detecting illuminance in the target chamber, and if the illuminance does not reach a predetermined value, the restriction control unit (138) restricts the cleaning operation (allows the manual cleaning operation, and prohibits the automatic cleaning operation). This makes it possible to appropriately limit the cleaning operation according to the illuminance.

The control device (130) further comprises: a room temperature detection unit (161) that detects the room temperature in the target room; and an automatic operation unit (135) that operates the stopped refrigeration cycle based on the detected room temperature, wherein the restriction control unit (138) restricts the cleaning operation (permits the manual cleaning operation, and prohibits the automatic cleaning operation until the operation interval D2 has elapsed) when the automatic operation unit (135) operates. This makes it possible to appropriately limit the cleaning operation during the operation of the automatic operation unit.

The control device (130) further comprises an outside air temperature detection unit (163) for detecting the outside air temperature, and when the outside air temperature is equal to or lower than a 1 st predetermined temperature (T1), the restriction control unit (138) restricts the cleaning operation (S16, S60: manual and automatic cleaning operation is prohibited). This makes it possible to appropriately limit the cleaning operation according to the outdoor temperature.

When the outdoor temperature is below the freezing point, the restriction control unit (138) restricts the cleaning operation. This can prevent clogging or the like caused by freezing of the drain pipe.

The control device (130) further comprises a heat exchanger temperature detection unit (164) that detects the temperature of the heat exchanger (102), and when the temperature of the heat exchanger (102) does not reach the 2 nd predetermined temperature (T2) during execution of the washing operation, the restriction control unit (138) stops the washing operation (S40, S42, S80, S82). This makes it possible to more appropriately limit the washing operation according to the temperature of the heat exchanger 102.

Further, after stopping the washing operation based on the temperature of the heat exchanger (102), the restriction control unit (138) prohibits re-execution of the washing operation (S18, S62) until the temperature of the heat exchanger (102) becomes equal to or higher than the 2 nd predetermined temperature (T2). This makes it possible to more appropriately limit the washing operation according to the temperature of the heat exchanger 102.

The air conditioner S further comprises an operation unit (Re) operated by a user, and the control device (130) executes a cleaning operation based on the operation of the operation unit (Re), and the restriction control unit (138) has a function (S2: automatic cleaning operation prohibition) for prohibiting execution of the cleaning operation due to a factor other than the operation of the operation unit (Re). This makes it possible to appropriately limit the cleaning operation caused by a factor other than the operation of the operation unit (Re).

The control device (130) has the following functions: when either one of the strong cleaning mode and the weak cleaning mode consuming less energy than the strong cleaning mode is selected as the cleaning operation, the weak cleaning mode is selected (S24) when the strong cleaning mode is selected within the past 2 nd operation time (D4). This can appropriately limit the washing operation, and reduce the electric power consumption.

Further, after the heating operation is completed, the restriction control unit (138) restricts execution of the washing operation (S20, S64) until a predetermined time (D3) elapses, thereby appropriately restricting the washing operation after the heating operation is completed.

The control device (130) further comprises a fouling detection unit (132) for detecting fouling adhering to the surface of the heat exchanger (102), and the control unit (138) is restricted so that the 1 st operation time (D1) is longer as the fouling is detected to be smaller (S26-S30). Thus, the interval of the cleaning operation can be appropriately limited according to the dirt of the heat exchanger (102).

When the automatic operation unit (135) is operated, the restriction control unit (138) permits the cleaning operation (S12) if the operation time of the refrigeration cycle reaches the 3 rd operation time (D2) longer than the 1 st operation time (D1) after the cleaning operation has been performed in the past. Thus, even during the operation of the automatic operation unit (135), the interval of the cleaning operation can be appropriately limited.

Further, after the cleaning operation is restricted because the illuminance does not reach the predetermined value, if the illuminance is equal to or higher than the predetermined value, the restriction control unit (138) executes the cleaning operation (S8). This makes it possible to appropriately limit the cleaning operation according to the illuminance.

In addition, after the washing operation is restricted due to the human body detection part (131) detecting the human body, if the human body detection part (131) does not detect the human body, the restriction control part (138) executes the washing operation (S6). This can appropriately restrict the operation of the person when the person is present in the air conditioning room.

Further, if the temperature of the heat exchanger (102) is not less than the 3 rd predetermined temperature (T3) after the cooling operation or the dehumidifying operation is completed, the restriction control unit (138) immediately permits the execution of the washing operation (S22, S66). Thus, the cleaning operation can be appropriately restricted according to the temperature of the heat exchanger (102).

After the cooling operation or the dehumidifying operation is completed, the restriction control unit (138) restricts the execution of the washing operation (S20, S64) until a predetermined time (D3) elapses. This makes it possible to appropriately limit the washing operation after the end of the cooling operation or the dehumidifying operation.

After the end of the washing operation, the restriction control unit (138) restricts the execution of the washing operation (S20, S64) until a predetermined time (D3) elapses. This can appropriately restrict the next washing operation after the end of the washing operation. Further, if the temperature of the heat exchanger (102) does not reach the 2 nd predetermined temperature (T2), the restriction control unit (138) restricts execution of the washing operation (S18, S62). Thus, the cleaning operation can be appropriately restricted according to the temperature of the heat exchanger (102).

The control device (130) sets the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the heat exchanger (102) to be equal to or lower than the dew point temperature (T3) when the cleaning operation is performed. This can properly condense water vapor in the air.

The control device (130) sets the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant during the cleaning operation to be lower than the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant during the dehumidifying operation. This can further appropriately condense water vapor in the air.

Modification example

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made. The above-described embodiments are exemplified for easy understanding of the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to the configuration having all the configurations described. In addition, other structures may be added to the structure of the above embodiment, and a part of the structure may be replaced with another structure. The control lines and information lines shown in the drawings indicate lines considered to be required for explanation, and are not limited to the control lines and information lines indicating all of the lines required for production. In practice, it is also possible to consider that almost all structures are connected to each other. Variations of the above embodiments can be, for example, as follows.

(1) Since the hardware of the main microcomputer 130B in the above embodiment can be realized by a general computer, the programs and the like related to the flowcharts shown in fig. 4 to 6 may be stored in a storage medium or distributed via a transmission path.

(2) The processing shown in fig. 4 to 6 is described as processing of software using a program in the above embodiment, but part or all of the processing may be replaced with processing using hardware such as an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit, application Specific Integrated Circuit; IC for specific use), FPGA (field-programmable gate array), or the like.

(3) In the timer interrupt routine (fig. 4) of the above embodiment, when it is determined as no in step S10, that is, when the "sleep function" is in the off state, the process shown in step S12 is executed. However, if no is determined in step S10, the automatic cleaning operation may be immediately prohibited, and the process may be advanced to step S26 (see fig. 5).

In step S10 of the above embodiment, it is determined whether the sleep function is in the off state or not, but instead, it may be determined whether the sleep function is in the off state or the thermal off state. Here, the "thermally disconnected state" is a state in which the blower fan 103 of the indoor unit 100 is driven, but the refrigeration cycle is stopped. Thus, even if the air conditioner S is continuously performing the normal (not sleep-functional) cooling operation, heating operation, or dehumidifying operation, if the thermally disconnected state is generated, the cleaning operation is enabled when the operation interval D2 has elapsed from the previous cleaning operation (step S12). In this case, the process of step S20 may be performed by stopping the operation of the refrigeration cycle in the cooling operation, the heating operation, the dehumidifying operation, or the washing operation, and determining whether or not the predetermined time D3 has elapsed since the stop, instead of the process of the above embodiment.

(4) In the above embodiment, the temperature (the 2 nd predetermined temperature) at which the washing operation is stopped in steps S40, S42, S80, and S82 is the same as the temperature (the 3 rd predetermined temperature) at which the re-execution of the washing operation is prohibited in steps S18 and S62 is the same as the predetermined temperature T2. However, the 2 nd predetermined temperature and the 3 rd predetermined temperature may be set to different temperatures.

(5) The "start condition" in steps S22 and S66 (see fig. 5 and 6) in the above embodiment is "the case where the heat exchanger temperature is equal to or higher than the dew point temperature T3 after the cooling operation". However, if the previous operation is the "cooling operation" or the "dehumidifying operation" in the case where the stable operation of the heat exchanger 102 or the like can be estimated, the "start condition" may be sufficient even if the heat exchanger temperature does not reach the dew point temperature T3. In this case, if the "cooling operation" or the "dehumidifying operation" is stopped, the cleaning operation can be started immediately. In addition, in the case after the "heating operation" is ended, as in the case of the above-described embodiment, execution of the washing operation is restricted until the predetermined time D3 elapses. This is because, after the end of the heating operation, the temperature of the heat exchanger 102 increases, and when the heat exchanger 102 is cooled from this state, it takes time and the energy loss increases.

(6) In the above embodiment, in order to prevent clogging of the drain pipe (not shown) due to freezing, if the outside air temperature does not reach the predetermined temperature T1 (for example, 0 ℃), the cleaning operation is inhibited automatically/manually (steps S16, S60). However, a heater may be mounted on the drain pipe, and the cleaning operation may be performed even if the outside air temperature does not reach the temperature T1. In this case, if it is determined as no in step S16 or S60, the heater may be placed in the on state, and the processing after step S18 or S62 may be continued.

(7) In the above embodiment, the two operation modes of the strong cleaning mode and the weak cleaning mode are applied as the cleaning operation, but the cleaning operation may be set to the strong cleaning mode only.

Description of the reference numerals

102. Heat exchanger

130. Control device

131. Human body detecting part

132. Dirt detecting unit

135. Automatic operation part

138. Restriction control unit

161. Room temperature detecting unit

162. Illuminance detection unit

163. Outside air temperature detecting unit

164. Heat exchanger temperature detecting unit

D1 Running interval (No. 1 action time)

D2 Running interval (action time 3)

D3 Predetermined time

D4 Action time (action time 2)

Re remote controller (operation part)

S air conditioner

T1 temperature (1 st predetermined temperature)

T2 temperature (2 nd predetermined temperature, 3 rd predetermined temperature)

T3 dew point temperature

Claims

1. An air conditioner is characterized in that,

the air conditioner comprises:

a refrigeration cycle having an indoor heat exchanger for cooling or heating air in an air-conditioning chamber;

a control device for controlling the refrigeration cycle so as to perform a manual cleaning operation for cleaning the surface of the indoor heat exchanger when a user manually performs a predetermined operation,

the control device comprises:

a restriction control unit that determines whether or not a predetermined condition for restricting the manual cleaning operation is generated after the manual cleaning operation is started by a user, and restricts execution of the manual cleaning operation if the predetermined condition is generated; and

an outside air temperature detection unit that detects an outside air temperature,

in the manual cleansing operation, the control device sets the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the indoor heat exchanger to a temperature below the freezing point,

the restriction control unit restricts the manual cleaning operation when the outdoor temperature is not higher than a 1 st predetermined temperature.

2. An air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein,

the control device further comprises a human body detection part for detecting a human body in the object room or the motion of the human body in the object room,

the restriction control portion restricts the manual cleansing operation when the human body detecting portion detects the human body or a predetermined movement of the human body.

3. An air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein,

the control device further comprises an illuminance detection unit for detecting the illuminance in the target chamber,

the restriction control portion restricts the manual cleaning operation if the illuminance does not reach a predetermined value.

4. An air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein,

the control device further comprises: a room temperature detection unit that detects a room temperature in the target room; and an automatic operation unit that operates the stopped refrigeration cycle based on the detected room temperature,

the restriction control unit restricts the manual cleansing operation when the automatic operation unit is operated.

5. An air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein,

the restriction control unit restricts the manual cleaning operation when the outdoor temperature is below a freezing point.

6. An air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein,

the control device further comprises a heat exchanger temperature detection unit for detecting the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger,

the restriction control unit stops the manual cleansing operation when the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger does not reach a 2 nd predetermined temperature during execution of the manual cleansing operation.

7. The air conditioner according to claim 6, wherein,

after stopping the manual washing operation based on the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, the restriction control unit prohibits re-execution of the manual washing operation until the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger becomes 3 rd predetermined temperature or higher.

8. An air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein,

the air conditioner also comprises an operation part operated by a user,

the control means performs the manual cleansing operation based on the operation of the operation portion,

the restriction control portion has a function of prohibiting execution of the washing operation caused by a factor other than the operation of the operation portion.

9. An air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein,

the control device has the following functions: and selecting, as the manual cleaning operation, either one of a strong cleaning mode and a weak cleaning mode that consumes less energy than the strong cleaning mode, and when the strong cleaning mode is selected within a past 2 nd operation time, selecting the weak cleaning mode.

10. An air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein,

after the heating operation is finished, the restriction control portion restricts execution of the manual washing operation until a predetermined time elapses.

11. The air conditioner of claim 9, wherein the air conditioner further comprises a fan,

after the cooling operation or the dehumidifying operation is ended, the restriction control portion permits the execution of the manual washing operation.

12. An air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein,

after the manual cleaning operation is restricted because the illuminance does not reach the predetermined value, the restriction control portion allows the manual cleaning operation to be performed if the illuminance becomes the predetermined value or more.

13. An air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein,

the restriction control unit permits execution of the manual cleansing operation if the human body is not detected by the human body detecting unit after the manual cleansing operation is restricted due to the human body being detected by the human body detecting unit.

14. The air conditioner of claim 10, wherein the air conditioner further comprises a fan,

after the cooling operation or the dehumidifying operation is ended, the restriction control portion restricts the execution of the manual washing operation until the predetermined time elapses.

15. The air conditioner of claim 14, wherein the air conditioner further comprises a fan,

after the manual cleaning operation is ended, the restriction control portion restricts execution of the manual cleaning operation until the predetermined time elapses.

16. An air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein,

when the manual purge operation is performed, the control device sets the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant to a dew point temperature or lower.

17. The air conditioner of claim 16, wherein the air conditioner further comprises a fan,

the control device sets the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant in the manual purge operation to be lower than the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant in the dehumidification operation.